Flanging machine



Dec. 17, 1946.

E. v. CRANE ET AL FLANGING MACHINE Filed July 21, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I.

ENTOR.

INV EDWARD v. CRANE and KARL A.KUHN

BY J W,

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 17, 1946. E. v. CRANE ET AL 2,412,874"

FLANGING MACHINE Filed July 21, 1942 5 Sh eetS -Sheet 2 F l G EDwARD y and KARL A. KUHN.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1946. E. v. CRANE ET AL FLANGING MACHINE 5 Shee ts-Sheet 5 Filed July 21. 1942 FIG.3.

INVENTORS. EDWARD V. CRANE and vKARL ,A.KUHN. BY FLQQAMJ M Z R M Dec. 17, 1946.

' E. V. CRANE ET AL FLANGING MACHINE Filed July 21, 1942 INVENTQ/R.

KARL A. HN

3945- E. v. CRANE ET AL FLANGING MACHIN Sheetss Sheet Filed July 21 INVENTOR. EDWARD V. CRANE and KARL A. KUHN ATTORNEYS,

Patented Dec. 17, 1946 FEICE' 2,412,874 FLANGING MACHINE Edward V. Crane and Karl A. Kuhn, Brooklyn,

N. Y., assignors to E. W. Bliss Company, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Applicationaluly 21, 1942, Serial No. 451,750

The present invention relates to container making machinery and, moreparticularly, to a flanging machine for use in flanging the ends of metal can bodies. i l

Machines of this general type are old and well known and servethe functions of expanding or flaring the ends of acan body prior to the operation of securing the ends of the can. High speed production is an essential in machines of this character. The operation of the machines heretofore used has resulted in difiiculty in preventing damage to the cylindrical can bodies as they are rapidly, fed to and through the machine. *It will be readily apparent that these bodies, consisting of cylinders of unsupported sheet metal, may be very rapidly knocked out of round as they are fed through a magazine into the machine.

In the flanging operation itself there has been diiiiculty, due to a tendency of the flanged end to partially resume the form it had prior to flanging. In other words, the metal wasnot properly set at the flange. Another disadvantage of the hanging machines hitherto inuse consists in the necessity of providing heavy frames and reinforcing parts for counteracting theforming stresses of the fianging operation. The

weight of the machine is thereby increased to a degree that affects the strength of the machine parts. Furthermore, with machines as heretofore constructed it has been inconvenient and difficult to adapt the same to handling cans of different sizes.

The general object of this invention has ;been to provide a flanging machine which overcomes the disadvantagesheretofore present in machines of this character. .A novel frame construction has been embodied in-the machine according to the invention, in which integral tension load carrying members of the frame take up the resistance of the can flanging movement of; each head, thereby eliminating objectionable bending of the main shaft of the machine with itsresultant right-angle bending forces on the shaft supporting frame. It is another object of the invention to provide a frame construction by which the load maybe applied to the parts during the fianging operation in a straight line, as contrasted with an offset manner, thus permitting theworking thrusts to be delivered to the integral reinforcing members. v j

Still another object of the invention hasbeen to provide a manner of feeding the can bodies to the machine to prevent theirbeing knocked out of round due to bouncing infthe magazine,

occasioned by the speed of feeding. J

4 Claims. (Cl. 153-21) To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various means in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings: V

' Fig. 1 shows a front viewoflthe machine;

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation on a slightly larger .Scale, some parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2% is a perspective view of a portion of the machine frame;

Fig. 3 is a side view partly in section, on a still larger scale with the hand wheel and top portion removed;

Fi 4 is an elevation partly in section on line t4 of Fi 3; i l Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig.- 3 illustrates the adjusting mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4 showing the star wheel and the flanging heads. v

Referring to Fig. 1, reference numeral I I designate the upper part of the machine frame supported by a base 12 built in the form of a pedestal which is adapted to house a motor M. A door it in the front wall of the frame gives access to the fianging mechanism proper, later to bedescribed. Two elongated slots I! are provided on one side of the machine by which adjustment of which cams for controlling the hanging mechanism is V achieved, handles l8 being part of the adjusting mechanism just mentioned. This mechanism will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. A hand wheel 20 and alocking handle 2| therefor are likewise part of the adjusting mechanism;

these members are shown on the left-handside,

of the machine frame, mounted in a cover 22.

Fig. 2 illustrates in a general way the set-up of the machine as seen from the left-hand side.

The machine comprises an upper chute 25 for the delivery of can bodies from another operating station, where the can bodie have been prepared for the flanging operation. The chute 25, mounted on the upper part of the machine frame, consists of two plates 26 carried on said frameand attached thereto by connecting rods 28 and 29. Secured to each of the plates 26 are an upper guideway 3! and lower guideway 3| mounted on.

said plates by means of bolts 33. The chute 25 has a straight upper portion and is curved toward the bottom, a feature which helps to eliminate jerks in the reception of can bodies arriving at tained as to diameters.

the center line of the curved chute portion in relationship with the size of the particular can body to provide the above mentioned smooth feeding of can bodies at the entrance to the fianging mechanism. To this end the radius of the center line of the chute is made equal to about one and a half times the diameter of the particular can body.

' Below the bottom end of the chute 25 two star wheels 4% are mounted in the center of the machine on a shaft M. These star wheels serve to receive the incoming can bodies and to feed them through the flanging mechanism. To insure the smoothness of feeding mentioned above it is necessary to arrange the pick-up position of the pockets formed by the arms a of the star wheels to coincide with the discharge from the feed chute as is shown in the drawings. An important feature of the invention has been the provision of a particular path of travel for the can bodies as they are fed to the fianger. 'Thus the can bodies pass in a smoothly curved continuous path down the chute and into the path of the star wheels. The line of travel of the cans along the chute path meets the circular path of the star'wheel at a tangent. Thus jerks and bumping in feeding are eliminated as the feed path is continuous and smooth.

In order to be able to use this flanging mechanism for cans of different diameters the width of the chute is varied in accord with the can diameter, the aforementioned ratio being re- Similarly, new starwheels are used providing pockets to correspond with the diameter of the can to be fed. It will of course be understood that the ratios 1:1.5, as

given above need not be followed too closely but that satisfactory reception of can bodies may also be obtained if the value is altered for about 25% on the high or low side.

As shown in the embodiment illustrated by the drawings, each starwheel 49 has four arms a, but

it may have six or more arms if it is desired or convenient. The starwheels are shaped to receive the can bodies as they are delivered down'the 'chute and to carry them'to the operating station proper where they are flanged, whereupon they are movedon to a lower chute and fed out of the machine in any desired manner. 'The lower chute consists in a pair of inclined rails 44 which are mounted by means of bolts 48 in slots dB to plates 2-6 and may be conveniently raised or lowered therein.

A unitary frame is provided Which includes spaced, parallel members 23 and 24 and end walls '53 and 83. The parts of the frame designated by '23 and 24 are of reinforced construction and these parts are designed for taking up the thrust load "of the mechanism during the fianging operation.

Fig. 2 particularly shows the reinforced frame portions 23 and 24, which, as mentioned above,

are designed to relieve the main shaft from excessive stress thereby eliminating right-angle bending actions on the shaft supporting portion of the frame.

The driving connections and parts of the flanging members are shown in Fig. 4. This figure This makes the chute 7 which are on the whole symmetrically built and equipped by the same working parts; there is,

however, a common drive for both sides of the machine housed on the right-hand side, which is the stationary side, whereas the left-hand side is adjustable, as will be more fully explained later I on The drive originating from the action of motor l2 is transmitted by belting to a pulley 50 mounted on a stub shaft 5| which is supported in sleeve bearings 52 carried in a casting 53, which forms part of the machine frame. Secured to shaft 5| and rotating therewith is a pinion 55 which meshes with a ring gear 56 that serves for driving a large rotor 51. This rotor is connected to the ring gear 56 by means of bolts 58.

Keyed at 49 to the rotor 57 so as to rotate therewith is the central shaft ii which extends across the machine and is keyed at 49" to a second rotor 51. It will be seen that the shaft 4 i driven on the right-hand side of the machine by the rotor 51, drives the-rotor 57 and other driven parts on the left-hand side of the machine.

Both rotors and 51" are of substantially identical construction, "they are built so as to house the p'lungers of the fianging members, as well as the cams and cam followers which serve as operating means for reciprocating the hanging members.

The hanging members comprise a plunger 6| with a plunger head 62 mounted thereon so as to be adjustable for fine adjustment, by means of a screw 63 whereas the adjustment of the whole hanging mechanism for cans of different sizes is made by a separate mechanism arranged on the left-hand side of the machine and illustrated in Fig. 5. A long screw bolt 65 serves for connecting the plunger head 62 to plunger 6| for holding the parts against displacement during the flanging action. The head 62 bears againsta thrust plate 64 which has a rim formingpor-tion 86 laterally. enclosingpartof the head, the rim being formed with a flat end face 61 receiving the can ends and imparting thereto a final bend. The plunger heads are, moreover, provided with a beveled face 68 which is stepped at 69. These faces serve for gradually bending the ends of cans to be flanged before they receive the final flange forming bend by being'thrust against face 61 above mentioned.

The plunger heads 62" onthe left-hand side of the mechanism are not adiustably mounted, but arerigidly secured to their plungers 6 l by screw bolts 65". i

The four plungers of the. flanging mechanism are reciprocated by cam action in timed relationship with the rotation-of the starwheeis. The hanging position is shown on top, the inactive position on the bottom of Fig. 4. Since the mechanism for reciprocating the fla'nging membersi's of known construction it need not be here de scribed. I 7

On each side of the machine, as mentioned before, a starwheel 40 is keyed to the central shaft El and bolted as at (Fig. 6) to a flange 8| of the rotor 51. In this figure interconnecting reinforcing webs 82 are also shown which surround the bearings supporting the fourplungers Bl.

Referring once more to Fig. 4, the left-hand side of the machine, carries a casting forming a sub-frame '19, which is movable on themam frame. This sub-frame supports the cams (as shown in Fig. 5) which are, therefore, adjustable together with said sub-frame. This makes the machine adaptable for flanging cans of widecover 22.

adjustability is carried on a shaft 90 that is on one'end supported by a casting 83 forming part of the machine frame, at the other end mounted in a sleeve 9| having an externally threaded portion 92. The

latter is threadingly engaged in a boss ofthe Sleeve 9| has afianged end 9| which is provided with a threaded bore for engagement with the threaded end [9 of the handle 2|.

Shaft'90 is operatively connected to a pinion 93 which intermeshes on either side with ears '94 and 94 respectively. These two gears are "mounted on sleeves lIlI whichare threaded both internally and externally, one being a right-hand and the other a left-handthread, and the pitch ,ofthe thread being different. As a special example we may mention that the pitch of the external thread may be 4 /2 to the inch, the pitch of the internal thread '7 to the inch. Threadingly received within sleeves I9I are another pair of sleeves 99 which are supported by shafts 95 and secured to a cam unit 75', 16' by an annular member 98 welded to said sleeves and screwed to the cams as at I00. In the cam unit one cam serves to control the fianging stroke, and another,

83 intothe cam unit I, 76. The arrangement of the two pairs of sleeves allows of a telescopic extension or retraction of the sleeves with respect I to each other, thereby making the range of adjustment considerable without the use of excessively long sleeves. l The position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 is for the largest size of cans which may be handled by the machine. By moving the cams toward the right-hand side the distance be-& tween the plunger heads 62, 62 will become smaller and thereby the mechanism is adjusted to cans of shorter lengths.

The cover 22 is bolted to casting 83 by means of boltsIIlB. part of the machine frame, the movable casting I9 is shown in dotted lines; this latter casting is secured to cams I5, 16' by bolts '18, and forms, as mentioned above, an adjustable unit with said cams.

In the construction of the flanging mechanism it is an important feature that the parts carrying the stresses are all substantially in alignment, via, in a plane approximatly coinciding with the middle portion of section line 5, in Fig. 3. This accounts for the absence of any twists or cantilever action on the frame. The construction of the adjustment mechanism and the cam arrangement are very strong; the load acting on the cams in a horizontal direction is transmitted through the screws into the vertical plane of frame 83 and from there again over the horizontal frame portions to the vertical plane of the cam unit. This quasi-box construction insures the absorption of high stresses without detrimental deflections of the machine frame.

For looking the cams and the mechanism associated therewith in the desired position, a lock ing device is provided, parts of which have already been explained, while others are best shown inFig. 3. The mechanism comprises elongated bolts I93 with ends I 04 threadingly received in frame 19. The bolts are passed through slots I01 of casting 83 and with their other ends are mounted in members I05 of hemisphere Behind the casting 83, which is share-which bear on bosses I08 of casting 83. Pins I 99 serve for fastening the bolts I03 to members I05 which form part of thehandles I8. By tightening or loosening these handles, looking or unlocking of the adjusting mechanism in a desired position is accomplished. A gib plate I I 9 is provided and screwed to the machine frame as at III, on which themovable casting I9 rides while it is moving back and forth for adjustment.

For operating the adjusting mechanism, handles I8 are loosened to an extent which will relieve-the pressure of members I on bosses I 93 and allow the members to slide in slots I'I. Next the shaft 99 will be unlocked by means of handles 2|. Then hand wheel 29' is turned to operate pinion 93 which will actuate the gears 94 and 94 and rotate the sleeves IUI, on which these gears are mounted. The external threads of sleeves II", which are right-hand threads, are screwed forward in casting 83, thereby moving the sleeves to the right-hand side. .The inner sleeves 99 are taken along during this movement for the same distance as sleeves IOI aremoved. At the same time the innerthreads of sleeves I9I which are left-hand flthreads, turn on sleeves 99 likewise moving the same to the right-hand side. By the combined action of both threads sleeves 99 are caused to advance at a faster rate than sleeves IOI. If the full extent of the threads on'the sleeves is used the cams I5, I6, together with their supporting frame I9 are carried forward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. It is however, obvious that any intermediate position between the two extremes may be taken up and the cams fixed in that position by the tightening of handles I8 and locking of shaft 90.

Before the machine is started the mechanism is adjustedfor flanging cansof different lengths in the manner just described, in addition thereto fine adj ustment of the plunger heads 62 by screws 63 may be desirable. The adjustment and, if necessary, exchangeof the guideways 39, 3| in the delivery chute, on the other hand, will have to take care of adaptingthe machine for can bodies of varying diameters as indicated above. The star wheels 49 will also have to be so chosen that the pocketsbetween the twoarm's will follow the contour of the can body to be treated. Finally, the size of the plunger heads 62 has to correspond to the diameter of the can bodies and several sets of plunger heads with thrust plates 64 fitted thereto will, therefore, have to be kept ready for use.

In operation motor I4 will drive the pinion 55, thereby rotating gear 56, rotor 51 and shaft 4|, which in turn will drive the left-hand side of the mechanism in unison with the right-hand side thereof. Starwheels 49, .turning on shaft receive the can bodies delivered from chute 25 and feed them past the flangingstation shown by arc B-B, where, owing to the action of cam I5 and its follower, and the action of corresponding members in the other half of the machine, plungers 6|, 6! advance the heads 62, 62 and the flanges are gradually formed by bending the metal back on the stepped beveled faces 68, 69 and 68, 69, respectively, of these heads until it receives the final bends at B7, 67'. The can body then passes the station shown in the lower part of Fig. 4, where the plungers are illustrated in idle position after having been retracted by the action of return cams. The can bodies are then fed out of the mechanism through the lower chute over rails 44.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or-the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. In a flanging machine, a frame includin two spaced, parallel frame members, a rotor mounted between said frame members; a flanging member reciprocatively mounted on said rotor; means for rotating said rotor; means for actuating said flanging member during rotation of said rotor including, a cam, a frame member for supporting said cam; means for releasably securing opposite ends of said frame membere to said parallel frame members, respectively, for selectively positioning said cam in the frame and compression resistant means interconnecting said cam and a fixed member of said frame, the last mentioned means being extendable and retractile and being disposed substantially on a line projected through said arc and parallel to the axis of said arch I 2. In, a flanging machine, a frame; a rotor mounted on said frame; a flanging member reciprocatively mounted on said rotor; means for rotating said rotor to carry the flanging member in an arc; means for actuating said fianging member during rotation thereof through a portion of said are including, a cam; a frame member; means for mounting said cam to said frame member including, a threaded shaft extending from one face of said cam, said frame member having an opening through which said shaft extends, the center of said opening being disposed substantially on a line projected through said portion of said are and parallel to the axis of said are, a sleeve internally. and externally threaded and adapted to threadingly receive said shaft, said sleeve being threaded in said opening in said frame member, the pitch of the threads of said shaft and sleeve being such as to cause longitudinal movement of said shaft and sleeve in the same direction through said opening when said sleeve is rotated for adjustably positioning said cam and means for rotating said sleeve.

3.:In aflanging machine, a frame; a rotor mounted on said frame; a flanging member reciprocatively mountedon said rotor; means for rotating said rotor; means for actuating said flanging member during rotation of said rotor including, a cam; a frame member; means -fdr mounting said cam to said frame member including, a threaded shaft extending from one face of said cam, said frame member having an opening through which said shaft extends, a sleeve internally and externally threaded and adapted to threadingly receive said shaft, said sleeve being threaded in said opening in said frame member, the pitch of the threads of said shaft and sleeve being such as to cause longitudinal movement of said shaft and sleeve in the same direction through said opening when said sleeve is rotated for adjustably positioning said cam; means for rotating said sleeve; a second .frame member to which said cam is secured; and means for removably clamping said second frame member to said frame throughout a portion of the'framealong which said second frame ,memher is movable as the position of the cam is changed. I

4. In a flanging machine, a frame including, a frame member adaptedlto be moved to a plurality of positions; means for securing said frame member in said positions; a shaft journalled in said frame member; a rotor mounted on said shaft; a flanging member carried by said rotor and adapted to reciprocate relative to the rotor and carried in an are when the rotor is rotating; means for actuating said flanging member in a direction parallel to the axis of said are during rotation of said rotor including, a cam, said cam beingsecured to said frame member; andcompression resistant means interconnecting said cam and afixed member of said frame, the last mentioned means'being extendable and retractile and being disposed substantially on a line projected through said are parallel to the axis of 

